Asking For The Moon
by paisandkai
Summary: In a perfect world, Nathan Scott would be captain of the varsity team. He'd be wearing a hell of a lot nicer clothes on his back, his mom wouldn't have to work overtime at the diner, he'd not feel an overwhelming surge of anger each time he saw his brother and his best friend would stay just that, his best friend. [Naley AU]
1. Lifetime Piling Up

"Nate," he feels a scratching sensation on his lower back. "Nate, c'mon," the voice persists. Arising from sleep with half shut eyes, he makes out a figure. Haley. Which in turn, Nathan knows one thing. He's overslept. Turning to the left side of his bed, he grabs his alarm, peers at the bright green 6:30 and his thoughts are confirmed. "Sorry Hales, last night was a mess," he begins.

"Oh, don't I know it," the brunette laughs. "I believe I had a phone conversation with drunk Nathan last night, surrounding a certain half brother." The way her eyes light up as she speaks to him on the end of his bed could make him forget about the night before.

"Don't remind me Hales." He flips onto his stomach and digs his heels into the bed frame. "You do realise you won, correct?" She questions and he can feel her make her way farther up the bed to his shoulders. The touch of her hand at the scruff of his neck, could make him lose all his previous inhibitions but he has a full proof method of shut down at this point. As soon as she leaves, he'll listen to some Eminem, hop in the coldest shower of his life and try to think about anything other than Haley Bob James.

"I get that I won Hales, it's just his face makes me want to punch a kitten!," He peeks out from his pillow fort and spots her face, now just inches from his own. Clearing his throat, he manages, "It'll be okay now. I'm on the team, I'll pretend I'm an only child and after school, we'll go to the dock and educate my dumbass."

In a sincere voice, Haley whispers into his ear, "You're not dumb Nathan." She follows up by jumping onto his bare back and giggling, "Just mathematically inept!" In the midst of their friendly patter, Nathan turns his back to the mattress and catches Haley's hips in a fight for her to stop jumping. "C'mon Nate, scared I could whoop your ass?," she taunts with a sly grin only Haley James can make endearing yet terrifying. He stutters, tears his hands from her hips and sits up. "Deathly Hales, now wait a sec so I can put something decent on?"

She drags her denim jean clad legs off his bed and saunters to his bedroom door. Staring him down, Haley can't help but note her best friend's beauty. His black scruff of hair, blue eyes and angular face structure, she's confused why no girl tries to go after him. Of course she knows why. Lucas Scott wouldn't allow that. He'd been making Nate's life a misery since they all entered High School. Any girl with an interest in Nate had been told a well constructed lie and ergo, the youngest brother was lacklustre of girl attention.

Clearing his throat in an attempt for Haley to come back to the world of the living, he can't help but question what goes on in her mind. She's an intricate person, he's known that ever since the 5th grade when she explained to him in explicit detail why she loves strawberries but hated strawberry milk. Things had definitely gotten more complicated since then, but even so she still wouldn't drink strawberry milk. Their friendship had started in the fourth grade. Haley decided that he looked lonely, told him she had enough siblings as it were and he needed one more, so she offered up her services. It was plain sailing from that point on. Even when they started to grow up and morph into teenagers their lives were simple. Just Nathan and Haley.

To his dismay, it all went slightly south after his seventeenth birthday. The two friends had a growing tradition that began in the 7th grade; gag gifts. At twelve, Haley had bought Nathan an electric shock pen. At 15, Nathan purchased Haley rather revealing shorts with the word "'MURICA" printed across the backside. Two months ago, Haley bit back. On the bleachers of the river court, he opened up his gag gift to find a rather explicit electronic model of the male genitalia. Bursting at the seams with laughter, Haley splutters, "You have no idea how uncomfortable it was to buy that thing, I'm sure the guy at the register thought it was for me!" Thus began Nathan's detrimental decline into seeing his lovely, innocent friend Haley in a rather- dingy light. At school the next Monday, he began to take note of the outline of her waist under her stitched poncho. Each time she cleaned a table at Deb's Diner, he found himself lowering his vision to her rear. It didn't go unnoticed either. Skillz was the first to call him out on it.

" _Dude, so you got the hots for Hales or what lately?_ _"_

 _Coughing up his soda, Nathan tried to formulate an excuse as to why his eyes were piercing into the back of Haley_ _'_ _s head as she spoke to the new kid Chase._

" _Nah dude, I just- I sort of- You know what, fuck you man._ _"_

 _Smiling to himself, Skillz Taylor knew his two friends would find each other along the way._

Since the incident two weeks ago, Nathan has gotten better at hiding his recent, some may describe it as lust, for his best friend. The showers definitely work. Investing most of his time in basketball too, but Haley soon asked why he was ignoring her and he hated lying to her more than he hated feeling this way.

"I'll go make some toast downstairs with my favourite member of this family and we can leave, okay?," Haley asks. He nods his head and watches her retreating figure as he reaches for his knock off Nike sweats.

* * *

"Mornin' Deb!" Haley greets. Deb nods with a fond smile as Haley helps herself to the bread in pantry and puts two slices into the toaster.

"So is my son still sound asleep or?" she ponders. Haley shakes her head as she bites the cap of her pen off and scribbles in Nathan's upcoming math test onto the calendar.

"Sleeping beauty is on his way, !"

Watching Haley make herself so comfortable in her kitchen as she always does, Deb can't help but ponder if she notices the impact she's had on her son. Deb would be lying if she hadn't noticed the recent developments. Nate's been distant to her, wearing a more distinct cologne and their water bill in the last month has sky rocketed. Shuddering at her teenage son's antics, she makes more than amicable chat with what she assumes is her future daughter-in-law.

"Any update on the boy field, Hales?" She asks inquisitively.

"Not in the slightest Deb, _your_ boy happens to be taking up the entire pitch at this rate," Haley laughs off. Not without a notice of underlying annoyance.

"What did he do now?"

So with a deep breath, Haley begins. "CHASE WAS TOTALLY INTO ME UNTIL YOUR WRETCHED SON SCARED HIM OFF WITH THAT LOOK HE GIVES. You know the look right? The "I'll not only fight you but I'll also fight your entire family" look."

Sauntering into the kitchen, Nathan speaks up. "Oh this look?," accompanied by the biggest smoulder Nathan Scott could pull off. Deb laughs at the two's banter whilst Haley questions if Nathan's aware of what he does to her. Even with his over exaggerated facial expression, he still manages to pull it off. She didn't care that Chase had backed off. Quite thankful really. She had a whole lot on her plate as it was and didn't require any extra boy drama. And of course, Nathan's "look" definitely got her hot and bothered- not that she'd admit it to him or to herself.

* * *

Saying their goodbyes to Deb, Haley pulled Nathan by the backpack into his truck. Bringing her feet to the dashboard and swinging her head to look at Nathan, he presses play on the his CD player and to the anthems of Tupac, they begin their drive to school. Haley can feel his tension as he takes the last left before they drive into the parking lot and watching his knuckles tighten around the wheel reaffirms her thoughts.

"You okay?" Haley brings her hand up to his shoulder and tries to decipher what he's thinking behind those blue eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine," He lies to her as he unbuckles his seatbelt. Not having it, Haley brings her hands to his face and mutters the four words he needed to hear to release.

"You can tell me."

Sighing, he tries to put his thoughts into words. "I don't want anything to change Hales. I won the one-on-one with Lucas last night and I'm on the team but- I don't know if I can handle it. The whole basketball thing- it comes with a territory. The partying and the chicks-"

"I know where you're going with this guilt trip Nate. You won't lose the river court okay. You'll take us with you the rest of the way- you're loyal like that." Haley recites as she stares past his eyes and into something deeper.

"It's not just that.. I'm gonna have to see Lucas and Dan more than I care for and you know how my mom gets? I don't want her to go back to the way she was, Hales!"

Calming him down, she unbuckles his seatbelt. Nathan's eyebrows draw up in confusion as Haley explains. "You're gonna get your butt out of this car, go to class and be the kid for once." Trying to protest, Haley shuts him down, "No, I'm not taking anything but a walk into math first period as an answer." Reaching over his body, to open his car door, Nate's body stills. In the past month, she's not been that close to him before and he knows seeing Lucas is now the least of his worries.

* * *

For once in his life Nathan had found himself doing the one thing he had never thought would be possible. Cancelling on Haley. After being chased after by Brooke Davis in her agonisingly short cheer uniform, she informed him that Whitey had called an emergency practice after school to fully introduce him to the Ravens.

"You sure you're okay walking home Hales?" He questions. He hates that she'll have to but he knows she'd rather be revising for their calculus exam next week than watching him sweat on a court for god knows how long.

"Nate, go ahead! I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," she kids back in a condescending manner. He knows she's strong and can take care of herself, hyper aware of it actually. He'd just rather be doing the caring is all.

Searching through the back of his truck in a fight to find his spare basketball shorts, he's unwillingly attacked. Craning his neck to the side, he sees her. Clinging onto his back for dear life is his Haley. Her face construed in a way he's never seen before and wishes to never see again. "Hey, what's up?"

With a breathe in and a smile tugging the edges of her lips- lips he wished were his to explore, she whispers. "Nothing Nate. Good luck ok. Of course you won't need it!" Towards the end of her revelation she morphed back into the Haley, that reminded him of grade school. The over exaggerated, ever optimistic and loving Haley. In a daring move, he uses his hand to comb through the parting of her hair and turns back to the school, feeling much less courageous.

* * *

Opening up the boys locker room, Nathan is greeted with emptiness. Dropping his gym bag onto the bench, he runs into the gym. Hoping to a greater power that practice hadn't already started, he is once again welcomed by the same silence. The balls are still stacked in their railings and no signs of half filled water bottles are to be seen.

Backtracking into the locker room, he notices two things. First, is his gym bag. The contents of which have been trailed across the floor, leading towards the showers. Second, a Brooke Davis. The vixen is holding his basketball shoes in only a towel and the grin on her face could put any boy over the edge.

Brooke Davis begins her stalk to towards him. If his breath was not caught in his throat before, it definitely was now. In her five foot six glory, she makes him feel tiny. Propping herself up on her tip toes and using the lockers behind Nathan's head for balance, she breathes past his ear. So soft he didn't think he caught it correctly, Brooke Davis murmurs, "So you got quite big feet Scott." In one smooth motion, she drops her towel and all sense of reserve was lost. Throwing his head up to the ceiling, Nathan groans.

"Excuse me?" Brooke screeches at an inhumane pitch. Picking up her towel from the ground, Brooke looks almost everything but pleased.

Questioning the sudden change of demeanour, Nathan follows after her past the other lockers. "You can't do that to a guy, you know that right?" He bellows behind her.

"I was stark naked in front of your tight ass and you have the audacity to moan another chicks name?" If looks could kill, Nathan would be dead a thousand times over. "Who the hell is Haley?"


	2. Lonely Hearts Club Meeting

From his wide eyed expression and slight open mouth, Brooke deduced that even he wasn't exactly sure that he had moaned mystery girl's name.

"So I'm guessing she's not your girlfriend?" Brooke asked inquisitively.

Shaking his head Nathan, explained. "Uh, no- no she's not." Casting his eyes downward, Brooke couldn't help but feel a sting of pity for the new basketball player.

"Yet."

"Huh?" Nathan questioned her one word reply. Looking up at her face he saw her upturned grin and squinted eyes. Pacing back to his gym bag, he tried to say his goodbyes to Brooke Davis. She was however, not letting him go that easily. Walking over towards where she had deposited her clothes, she hastily tugs on her garments.

"I said yet, hotshot. If you're moaning her name any time a girl shows a sliver of interest in you, I'm assuming you've got this one bottled up. And not to be crude or anything- but you're hot as hell. This Haley chick is probably into you like the rest of the school is- well now." Lost in her speech, Nate had sat himself down onto the bench. What better person to unload your feelings onto if not a stranger? Even if that stranger was gossiper extraordinaire Brooke Davis.

Running a hand through his hair, down to the back of his neck, he tried to word his thoughts. "See Haley's not like that-"

"Like what? A girl who goes nude in front a guy she doesn't know in a high school locker room?"

Laughing at her statement, he fondly agrees. "She's quiet to most people in this school but when she's with me, she's Hales. She giggles and screams and hits me over the head when I'm stupid. She's this storm of a person, and like each time I'm around her lately, I-"

"Wanna be struck by lightning?" Brooke adds. Her body slumped down next to his on the bench, and her sly grin had now faded into one of empathy. Raising her hand above her head, she looked at him with expectance and in a voice so soft, so un-Brooke Davis like, she whispers, "Join the club Buddy." Nathan reciprocated her action and high fived Brooke's lonely hand.

"Who's your poison then, Davis?"

"Not Haley for sure. He's got a real similar last name to yours actually."

Looking up at her lost eyes, he's never seen Brooke so fragile. She was strong. He had known her since kindergarten and even then, Brooke Penelope Davis stormed into that classroom and told anyone if they ate her glue, there would be hell to pay. Her empty eyes were the cause of his brother. Nathan guessed that was another thing they had in common.

* * *

Haley James was in denial. No way could she walk home in this. About five minutes into her trek home, the heavens opened up above her and now her sketchers were squelching in the rain. She usually liked walks home, it gave her a time to think. To go over the day, or days past but most of all days to come. Lately, they tended to surround Nate.

She can't pin point the exact moment she knew she'd fell for her best friend. Hell, she doesn't even know if she has. What she does know is that it's a passing phase- it has to be. Nathan and Haley's friendship was more important than her current affixation with her closest friend. So she put it behind her. Which was simple in theory, but Haley knew it was put to the test each day. When they drove to school together and they'd have their daily fight over what was going to be played on the radio station: CountryHits or RapFM. Or when they had dinner with Deb and the two would eat of the other's plate. Or when she had to witness each girl stare him down as they walked to pre-calc. Now that he was on the basketball team, Haley knew it wouldn't get any better but this was Nate's dream; basketball. In the grand scheme of things, that was most important, not her new found territorial stance on her friend.

Finally finding shelter under a bus stop, Haley took out her phone to dial- and that's when it hit her. Nathan being at practice really stumped her. Deb was working at the diner all day, Nathan's uncle Keith would probably pick her up but she didn't want to impose, and her own parents were visiting her older sister Quinn in Florida. So she'd have to wait out the rain.

Playing 'Snake' on her nokia, she almost missed the truck. Running out onto the pavement, arms everywhere, the truck she was so familiar with doubled back. Swinging the door open and lunging in with her backpack, she looked at Nathan. The two were drenched.

"You have a truck, what's your excuse Scott?" She challenged, looking him up and down. Shaking his head, Nathan began to laugh and in turn Haley did so too. As he drove down the empty streets of Tree Hill in the pouring rain, she couldn't determine how long they were laughing in their own world.

Breaking up their laughter, Haley remembers. "Hey, what happened to practice?"

"Oh, well I got there and Brooke Davis was butt naked," he states devoid of emotion as if he was reciting their homework for English class.

Haley's breath caught in her throat, and she could feel herself choking for air. In disbelief, she combs her hands through her drenched hair and forced laughter in attempt to convince not only Nathan but herself, that she found this humorous. "You're kidding me?"

"If I was, you'd know Hales. Well one thing lead to another and-"

Breaking up his sentence that Haley knew she didn't want to hear she shouted. "NATHAN SCOTT, YOU SAY A WORD MORE AND YOUR LAST VIEW OF THIS WORLD WILL BE OF ME HOVERING OVER YOUR LIMP BODY."

Sniggering at her reaction, Nathan allowed himself to believe that somehow Haley was jealous. He knew he did nothing with Brooke. He couldn't. However, living in this moment where Haley was under the pretence he did, gave him a sickening satisfaction. As though he wanted to push her to the edge. Make her think of him in that position with someone else, in an attempt to get a reaction. Any reaction that could validate the feelings he had for her. Coming back down from his high that was a part of his personality he wished for Haley to never know, he came clean.

Biting his lip, he drawls out his confession. "Not what you think Hales. We just spoke, had something in common." His eyes stay focused on the road.

Somehow, Haley couldn't help but think that was worse.

The sounds of the rain hitting the truck filled the empty silence that now surrounded them. Usually their silence was comforting. They were Nathan and Haley and they didn't need words to communicate with each other. This was different. This silence was deafening, a screeching sound of discomfort and awkwardness. Nathan clears his throat. Turning to him in expectancy, he stares onto the path leading up to her door.

"That wouldn't be too bad."

Utterly confused, Haley questions him what wouldn't be too bad.

In a leap of faith, Nathan answers.

"That being my last view of this world.. You hovering over me. There are worse ways to go Hales."

* * *

"There are worse ways to go Hales" His words are on a loop in her mind. Filling each crevice of her brain and oozing out of her pores. He said it with so much sincerity and meaning, her breath caught in that car. Afraid of what she would do next, she had jumped out, shouted thank you from her door and buried her head in her pillow. In the truck she had felt her eyes trickling down to his lips and she knew they had embarked on new, terrifying territory. Maybe not the both of them- but definitely her. Most boys couldn't swoon Haley. It didn't matter about their grades, or looks, or athletic ability. She saw them all the same, if they were nice, she'd talk- but nothing more. Nathan Scott only had to utter a sentence and she was putty in his hands.

Having finished her homework in her study class, she opened up the internet browser on her computer and scrolled through her bookmarks to 'PunkNDisorderly'. On her screen was a memory. Peyton sketching away her feelings surrounded by records, brings her back to her first encounter with the loner cheerleader. It had been the Summer before High School. Haley's parents had forked out enough cash for her to go to a music camp for 4 weeks. During those weeks, Haley James made close friends with her bunk mate, only to come back to school after her Summer of music came to a close to never hear from Peyton Sawyer again. She passed her in the hall their Freshman year and Sawyer continued to do so all the way throughout Sophomore. Now half way through Junior year, Peyton still has said no words to Haley since that Summer. A stark contrast to what they had shared in that dark cabin. Haley guessed that Peyton was so free in finally expressing her emotions, she didn't take it into consideration they attended the same school.

"Wait so let me get this clear hotshot Scott.. Brooke Fine Ass Davis is butt naked, for you and only you. And you don't get it on?" Skillz was completely flabbergasted.

Shooting the basketball into the hoop at the River Court, Nathan explains. "I don't know dude, we spoke, it was sorta cool." Bouncing the ball back to Skillz, he anticipates his best male friend's response.

"Dude I know you're a virgin and everything, but like not even making out? SHE WAS NAKED." Antwon enunciates his last statement as if Nate wasn't in that room with Brooke and was also blind.

Trying not to lose his cool, Nathan once again replies. "First of all, I was there. I know she was naked. Second, I'm not a virgin you ass." He dribbles past Skillz and dunks. Hanging from the rim of the basket, he jumps down and questions as to why his friend is chuckling.

"Nate, you get that all those fantasies you have with Haley in your dreams aren't real right?" Skillz ducks already anticipating Nathan's right hook swing, looking up he sees happiness in his friends eyes. Sighing in relief, he knows he hasn't hit a sour spot with the Nathan and Haley train today.

"Ha ha. You're a funny guy, Taylor. But to what I also wanted to speak to you about.. The reason Brooke and I didn't- you know- I sorta-"

Cutting him off, Skillz lets out a laugh. "James has you whipped so bad and y'all aren't even a thing!"

Smiling to himself, Nate just carries on bouncing the ball between his legs and thinks back to his moment of bravery the night previous. After his confession of, "There are worse ways to go Hales" Nathan found himself a happy man back at the diner with his mom. He stepped up and for a moment, he swore he saw Haley feel something too. Anyhow, even if she did, she was out of his truck before he could switch radio stations.

Being broken from his thoughts, he hears Skillz' voice. His friend turns to him, ball in hand and says, "It's not like I'm bagging on you man- just tell her before it's too late for the both of you?"


	3. This European Thing

_Dragging the brunette onto his lap, he began to pepper open mouthed kisses to her neck. Nathan_ _'s lips travelled from her collar bone, past the base of her neck, meeting below her ear, dancing across her jawline and finally finding their destination on her rosy lips. Lips he'd wished to meet with his own for so long. They weren't in a hurry- in fact with each second that passed he'd wish for another hour. He could spend his lifetime doing this._

 _Laying her on her back, he broke contact with her mouth for a split second. A split second that felt like eons. Situating his leg between her's, he brought his elbow to lay beside her head for balance. Attaching his lips to her's for another kiss, he felt a sensation in his lower stomach. Groaning, he came back to the surface for air. He felt as though he could look at her forever. In their state right now, her crinkled button nose and full smile radiated happiness. A happiness he'd been looking for for so long. He brushed his hand through her brown hair. Hair that seemed too intricate to only call brown. It was bronze. A blend of colours that so effortlessly tangled in his hands. Forgetting about the pulsing sensation he was dealing with, he brought his lips to her eyelids. Kissing them so delicately, he couldn't tell if it had actually happened._

 _In an instance, her hips bucked up to meet his own and he knew the rhythm of their situation was increasing it's pace. She dragged his head down to meet her own and met his lips in the middle. He could feel her tongue politely asking for entrance whilst her hands went to work in massaging his shoulder blades under his shirt._

" _Nathan,"_

 _He carries on his exploration, kissing in reciprocation to the mention of his name._

" _Nathan,"_

" _Haley.."_

"Oh so you are awake huh, Scott?"

At that Nate opened his eyes to see Haley and his mom hovering over his bedside. In his mom's hands he noticed his alarm clock and knew that death was imminent. He nodded in response to Haley's question. Of course he hadn't been awake when he had so tactfully spoken her name in his dream but what she doesn't know can't hurt her.

His mom squatted to be on eye level with him where he was laying for his nap. The smug upturned smile adorning her face conveyed that she knew exactly what was going on before the intrusion. Brilliant.

The dream girl in question greeted him with only the picking up of his sports bag and a grin he wished he could taste. Turning to the alarm clock in his mothers hands, he took in the time and to true Nathan Scott fashion, his first training practice started in 10 minutes.

Nathan leaped from his comforter, took the gym bag from Haley and absentmindedly kissed her cheek. It had seemed so natural as if the dream he was so caught up in experiencing hadn't just been a dream. Half way out of his bedroom door he clocked his mistake, made a u-turn, planted one on his mom's cheek too in hopes it would make the situation less awkward. As though this was his new thing. Saying goodbye to the important women in his lives by pecking their cheeks.

* * *

Haley would be lying if she said she hadn't been thinking about Nathan's lips on her cheek for the past 2 hours. How long did basketball practice last anyway? The first 30 minutes, she had went home in an attempt to study. Forcing herself to look through her history textbook, her mind wandered to the thought of his lips on her cheek. The next half hour was spent imagining scenarios where that was a life of normalcy. That Nathan would come back from basketball practice and drop his gym bag on her doorstep, scoop her up in his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. A 30 minutes well spent, she thought to herself. Of course it ended by her sweeping all those thoughts under the rug. Literally. She cleaned when she got anxious. Which then brought her to Deb's Diner. Nothing wrong with picking up an extra shift she had convinced herself. Into her first 40 minutes being there, thoughts of Nathan holding her hand going down the halls of Tree Hill High were broken.

"Hales, you've been cleaning that table for at least half an hour. I'm more than certain you can see your own reflection in it by now," Deb chuckled.

"Maybe that's what I need. Self reflection." Haley answered, just quiet enough that only she could hear. But loud enough so it was real.

* * *

Deb Scott stood at her cashier register watching a certain brunette wipe down the same table for the fifth time. It was a slow work day, a measly 4 customers an hour. Such a light work load, she'd allow Haley to carry on cleaning her feelings out on table number 5. Coming to her own conclusions, she assumed it was her spawn's certain kissing outburst that brought her back here.

Deb had known Haley from the first day Nate had brought her back from school on an unannounced playdate. Since then she had watched her clean her way out of her feelings.

When she was 9, Haley had lost her friendship bracelet that Nathan had bought her on his trip to Texas, meeting Deb's parents for the first and last time. The little girl had spent a quarter of an hour washing her hands in their bathroom until breaking down in tears.

When she was 12, Deb remembers Haley's papaw passing. The woman standing in front of her, was just a girl. A girl who ate all dinners at the Scott residence whilst her parent's were in South Carolina helping Nanna James. The same girl who not only cleaned her own plate, but Nathan's and then wiped down the table.

At 15 it gradually got worst. Haley's parents had told her of their plans to travel for Lydia Scott's new health practice. In turn, leaving their just turned 15 year old daughter to fend for herself. Of course they returned on occasion, but Deb saw the hurt grow in the child she had grown to love's eyes. The first week of their departure, Haley took a ridiculous amount of overtime in the diner. Unbeknownst to Deb, the teen had worked so late, she found herself sleeping in the booths. Of course that was until Deb had found her and her over washed raw hands.

Last year, the hurt in the child's eyes broke. In turn so did all her belongings that she was then anxious to clean up. The guilt began to creep in.

* * *

Rushing into practice, Nate had unbelievably managed to get to the high school gym on time. Looking around the locker room, he spotted him- and next to him, his own locker. So they obviously did this alphabetically, he thought grimly to himself.

Lugging his bag over his shoulder, he walked through the mass of players he'd soon be calling teammates. Opening his locker, he was stunned to find no pre-meditated collateral damage. Everything seemed to be intact. Looking up from his locker, he was stunned to find his half brother's hand outstretched. Giving him a quizzical look, Lucas spoke up.

"Good luck. Y'know with the first practice? Whitey can be a hardass but he knows what he's doing." He finished with a smile.

Nathan thought that he must have a complex. In such a moment of confusion, he had imagined his older half brother being civil to him. In response, he nodded and made his way into the hall.

"COACH, HERE'S OUR FRESH MEAT!" Shouted one of the boys on the other side of the court.

"Jagielski, get your ass back down here!" Commanded the bald man, Nathan deduced this must be Whitey.

He spent the first half hour of his practice participating in the drills with the rest of the team. Running back and forth the length of the hall continuously, seriously makes a dude sweat Nathan discovered. He was then let off the hook when Whitey had him sit on the bench and watch his teammates run a drill.

Turning his body to Nate's, Coach Whitey asked, "I can feel your leg shaking like a crackhead, Scott. What would you change?"

Stunned at the coach's ability to pick up on his tells, Nathan stuttered his answer. "Um, uh- I just feel like you need a stronger point guard. Not like he isn't good but-"

"You're better?" Whitey answered for him, grinning at his newfound player's confidence. "SMITH, YOU'RE OUT. Scott, show us what you got!"

Running onto the court, the rest of the practice faded away into fragments. On the court, he felt a sense of belonging. The way his palms connected to the basketball, it gave him control. Even when he had just slipped up and kissed his best friend on the cheek, he still had control of where this ball was going. Either into the hoop or not. That was the beauty of the game.

When Whitey blew the whistle indicating the end of practice, he jogged back into the locker room with who he now knew was Jake and Tim. Jake seemed like an overall cool guy, whilst Tim was- Tim. Pulling on his sweater, he couldn't help but feel as though he was being watched. Tugging it over his head, he was met with the image of Lucas. A fumbling Lucas to be precise.

"I just want you to know- I'm not that much of a dick. It was mostly Dan riling me up to challenge you. And the rest of the shit I put you through man, that was just me being an immature douche. I've grown up." Pausing for a response that he wasn't going to get Lucas carried on.

"I take basketball seriously. Just not as much my dad. I could take or leave the game- it's something he can't accept. So- I guess what I'm saying is. Uh, truce?"

Nathan wished for all in his power to punch the kid in the throat. For the past 3 years of his high school career, the dickhead had made his life a living hell. He found it difficult to believe he was all high and mighty as of right now. However, Nathan knew the repercussions of not shaking his brother's hand. Being an ostracised player on a basketball team wasn't exactly giving the scouts the best impression of you. If Nathan knew one thing for sure, it was that the only way he was getting to college was through basketball. Lucas may not take it seriously, but he sure as hell did. Pushing past his pride, he accepted his brother's hand.

"Yeah, sure man." He gulped.

Smiling, Lucas walked backwards and from his gym bag dropped a book. Picking it up, he recognised the title from Haley's bookshelf. Calling after Luke, he swung the book 'Julius Ceasar' above his head.

"Man, you forgot Julius over here," Nathan laughed.

"Oh shit dude, thanks. It's my mom's copy, she'd have my ass if it got drenched from the water in the shower room," Luke explained.

"Oh don't I know it," Nate brought his hand up to his hair and roughed up his hair. His memories of borrowing Haley's copy of 'The Great Gatsby' for English class blossomed in his mind. With a questioning gaze, Lucas couldn't help but ask. "You read?"

Laughing to himself, Nathan explained. "Only if it's for class or has pictures. I was talking about Ha- My friend." Stopping myself. He had just came to accept the guy's existence, he wasn't ready to introduce Haley to him.

Walking to the car park, the two brother's spoke. There was no dancing around camp fires or exchange of emails but they chatted about safe subjects. Of which being, basketball and Luke's appreciation for literature. Something Nathan did not see coming. Reaching his truck, whilst Luke opened the front door to his BMW, Nathan was struck back into reality. They had lived polar opposite lives. Whilst Nathan and his mom roughed it, feeding themselves through food coupons for a year straight, Lucas ate off a silver platter. Deep down he knew it wasn't the blonde's fault for such an easy upbringing whilst he struggled, but he still resented him. Most of all he resented Dan Scott and the man's ability to leave a child without a second thought.

"Yo Nathan," his thoughts were torn apart by Lucas. "My mom's having this banquet thing for all the players on the team and their families- she was gonna ask your mom at the first game but-," struggling to find words to make his point, Luke settled on something obscure. "After what happened last Spring, she just didn't know if your mom would take it- well. I'm really not meaning to be ru-"

"Lucas it's fine. I get it. I'll ask her when I get home."

* * *

Opening the front door of his home, Nathan first heard the sounds of bees. Entering the living room, he noticed the record player's arm was off the vinyl and was now playing the songs of empty static. His first insinuations of the situation were grave. The last time he was met with this scenario, he had found himself sitting in a hospital bedside chair for two weeks, killing his back in the process.

Rushing to the bathroom, he found exactly what he was expecting. The empty orange pill bottle that sent the feelings of terror down his spine. His legs carried him into the pink bedroom past his mother's and his own. Decorated with butterflies and teddybears, he found his mom sitting up in the rocking chair. Silently crying whilst she looked at the tablets laid in front of her.

He paced across the room and brought his arm's around the petite woman's body and silently wished he could hug the sadness out of his mother. Even if it meant he brought the load on to his own shoulders. He was stronger. In his embrace, his mom whispered the only phrase she did when she returned to her past state.

"I'm sorry Nate. I'm sorry Lily."

 **A/N: Even if this is an AU, I want to keep the personalities of these characters the same. Lucas is a nice dude in the show, hence my boy Luke is gonna be a nice dude here. Just to clarify! Hope you enjoyed! If you did, review if you like! Elle x**


	4. Everybody Loves Cake

Trying to push past memories of last weeks encounter with his mom, Nathan found himself in the bedroom of Brooke Davis. Inspecting her room, he noticed one constant. Pictures. The room was covered. Some of people he didn't know, some of people he was too familiar with; Lucas being a prime example. After his bonding session with his brother the week previous, the two had kept cordial. At the past two training sessions, there was minimal hazing and none instigated by Luke. In fact, he felt as though they were getting along. However, Nathan didn't want to kid himself into the false pretence that he could have a brotherly relationship with Lucas, for his mother existed and he knew what that would do to her. She'd convince herself that Nate was leaving to join this new family, and after a child leaving her the year before, Nathan knew he couldn't put his mother through that once more.

Taking a closer look at the pictures on Brooke's dresser, he caught a glimpse of a figure in the background. The foreground was simple. A young teen Brooke- she must have been not older than fourteen. That wasn't what caught his attention. The brunette with the multicoloured stitched poncho did. Arm and arm with a thin blonde. A blonde he knew as 'Peyton Sawyer'. A girl that he certainly wasn't aware Haley knew. Haley's head was thrown back with joy, her mouth hung open, her eyes scrunched in glee and caused wrinkles to form on her forehead. She was the human embodiment of sunshine. Nate worried if that was too optimistic or glorifying for Haley James. She wasn't sunshine. She was chaos. A sunset. A canvas of clashing technicolour that worked in glorious ways to create something beautiful. No, she wasn't sunshine. She was the sunset.

"I'm assuming you're not a creep, and you're in fact not perving on fourteen year old me?," Brooke comments standing at her doorframe. She had been watching him for the past few minutes. He'd been so enthralled by that picture, she knew her prepubescent body wasn't causing the boy's interest.

Shaking his head, he takes the photo off her mirror. "Nah, that's- Uh, that's Haley," he states, pointing to the girl he was so taken with. In her excitement, Brooke flings her body across the room to get a glimpse of the girl her newfound buddy was so hung up on. Noticing where his finger lands on, her breath hitches in her throat.

"Tutor girl? That's your girl?," She screeches in anticipation. She already knew Nate's gal pal. Looking at her with complete confusion, Nathan laughed. "Tutor girl, really Davis?"

"She tutored Pey- me. Freshman year." Brooke recovered from her mistake but it didn't go unnoticed by Nathan. However, he decided to let it slide till a later date.

Looking the brunette bombshell up and down, he remembers why he is here. He was confused why the lady downstairs was so impartial to a teenage boy letting himself in and climbing up to Brooke's room. Brooke had then explained to him that he wasn't the first basketball player who had sat in her bed and he shouldn't feel too special.

Breaking their comfortable silence, Nathan spoke up. "So Davis, are we going to get to why I'm here?" He inched forward.

Giggling, her manicured hand pushed his torso back. "Eager are we, Scott?" Walking away from him and around her bed, she reached into her bedside table. Clutching what they were going to need in her hand.

Nathan looked up at her in a final attempt to see if he could distinguish any emotion from her eyes. She was unreadable. He assumed the cheerleader was guarded. "We don't have to do this Brooke-," he started.

Cutting him off, she brought a finger to his lips. "No backing out now, hotshot." Dumping the phone she held in her hands onto the bed, she dug into her back pocket to find the list. Handing it over to Nathan, she explained the rules. "Now all you gotta do is dial these numbers of poor innocent souls and tell them you are not Brooke Davis and they need to stop calling." The smile she gave him was so big, the dimples indenting into her cheeks grew a bit larger.

"You're an evil woman Brooke Davis," he laughed and began to dial the first number.

* * *

At the river court, Haley sat on the picnic table whilst the guys played to their crowd of one. Bar Nathan. He had left without any explanation to her during lunch and as she sat now, she hoped he wasn't stressing out over his first game of the season tonight. Wanting to be there for him, she grew inquisitive.

"Hey, do any of you guys know where Nate's at?" She walks onto the court.

The cough and shuffle of feet from Skillz answers her question. Staring him down, Haley knows he'll break under her gaze. Stalking over to him she grabs at the leather ball cradled in his arms.

"He's with B Davis. Said something about chilling before the game," Skillz smoothly delivered.

"Pre-stress relief, if you know what I mean!" Hollered Junk from the opposite end of the court.

"Nate's getting some head cheerleader ass," laughed Fergie, walking past Haley and punching the ball from her arms back into Skillz's.

Haley felt a pit in her stomach grow as she grew uncomfortable at the idea of her best friend boning Brooke Davis. She knew over the past week they'd grown close, but _this_ close? She couldn't help feel an envy for the cheerleader. Not that she had initiated a physical relationship with Nathan but because he was brining his issues to Brooke and not herself. Questions of Nathan's and Haley's friendship began to blossom in her mind. Haley was overthinking every conversation they had had in the past week, if she had said something wrong. He'd came straight to Haley after his mom's almost relapse. Well atlas she had thought. Maybe he called Brooke, seeing as how unclear she was of the two's distinguished relationship.

* * *

Standing on the sidelines of the court, pompoms in tow, Brooke Davis oversaw her kingdom. This was the best she was going to get. Some people hit their peaks in high school and as her mom had so kindly put it in her last visit, "It only goes down from here, Brookie." Well if this was the extent of the happiness she'd be graced with for the rest of her life, she was going to make it count. No more waiting in silence. She had decided upon a resolution. To mend the past and build the future.

Looking down the line of cheerleaders, her eyes fell on Peyton. She had been growing distant in the past year. Attending less parties, talking less, and drawing more. Not that she'd let Brooke see her drawings- those were off limits, even to close friends. Apparently not to tutors though, she thought stubbornly. Looking up, she saw Nathan in all his sweaty glory looking out onto the bleachers. Following his line of vision, she was lead to a certain brunette. Haley was surrounded by what she assumed were the rest of Nathan's friends. Laughing her little butt off, unaware of the anguish she was causing the newest member of, 'People Brooke Davis Trusts' club. Brooke felt a mild irritation towards the girl. Brooke knew exactly how it felt to be the one longing. To watch the person you cared for so deeply live a life of naivety. A life that she of course couldn't blame Haley for pursuing, she was unaware that every smile that adorned her face was the reason Nathan's grew in reciprocation.

Everyone speaks of the pain of hurt. Being bruised from hatred or malice. However, the pain of love is seldom spoken of. Being bruised from keeping quiet. Hugging your body so tight in fear that if you slackened your grip even a fraction, you'd explode. Within each crevice cracked opened, a lifetime of whispers and love notes would spill out.

Her pain was still a throbbing bruise, coloured in purple hues. Nathan's brother stood with a hand on his shoulder. His golden mane combed back effortlessly, whispering words of wisdom into Nate's ear. She couldn't help but wish that it was her in such close comforts with the elder Scott.

* * *

They had won. The Tree Hill Raven's had won. Nathan had shot the 3 pointer that won the game. Which then caused Haley to scream his name so loud, the people in front of her had turned around, instead of focusing on the hotshot himself. The hotshot in question had then been tackled by a swarm of cheerleaders, a sight Haley wished to keep hidden from her view. She feigned interest with Mouth's podcast until it was safe to come up for air. He only had a second to hug Haley faintly and tell her that they had plans to attend Lucas' celebratory party at his beach house, until he tore his body from her into the locker room.

"Ain't no butts James, you're going." He smiled down at her. Half high off adrenaline from winning the game, half off the idea of being at a party with Haley and alcohol. Liquid courage might be his best friend for the next few hours.

So here she was, leaning against the door to the boys locker room and waiting for Nathan. He had owned it. On the court, he looked as though he belonged. His body moved with such fluidity, grace and purpose, she struggled to remember that this was the same boy who slobbers while he sleeps. Suddenly, the air was taken out of her as she fell back into the locker room as someone pulled the door open. Accepting her demise, she allowed her bum to fall in the air and hurtle towards the cold hard tiles. The end however, did not come. Peeling her eyes open, she noted the muscular arms that embraced her. Shooting up from the arms she knew too well, she turned to her best friend.

Clearing her throat, she attempted normalcy.

"Shall we Mister Scott?," she spoke in a terrible English accent. Her hand extended to reach his arm he had willingly put forward.

"Oh! Miss James, I think we shall!"

* * *

Neither Haley nor Nathan had attended a Tree Hill party at this mass. Haley point blank hadn't attended a party. Unless the Christmas socials with the river court boys counted- she wasn't counting it. Nathan was slightly more experienced in the realm of party going from his Summers spent with his uncle Cooper in Long Beach. Cruising past the cluster of sweaty teenagers, he made sure to keep his hand on the small of Haley's back. Pushing past the idea that he was being possessive, but in fact just protective- not wanting Haley to get lost in the crowd.

Finding Brooke and Lucas had been easy. Located near the keg, the group of teenagers made idle conversation. Passing drinks all around, Brooke was hit with an idea. "As a proper welcome to a Tree Hill High party, we will have a welcoming ceremony of 'Never Have I Ever'" She declared.

Laughing at her proper attitude, Nathan nodded and downed the remainder of his drink. Looking to his right, he clocked Haley.

"You in Hales?" As he looks down at her like that, with his face drowning in concern with a hint of wonder, his scruff of raven black hair begging for her hands to weave between. Haley realizes there wasn't much she would have said no to being "in" to.

Nodding her head, she was passed a cup and found herself nestled between Brooke Davis and Nathan. The group of occupants in the circle were a healthy mix; herself, Nathan, Brooke, Lucas, members of the cheer squad, the other basketball players and Skillz. Feeling out of place she looked to Skillz. Seeing his slight smile, she hummed to herself. At least she had Skillz.

"Ok, the rules are simple. Someone says 'Never Have I Ever' and adds a scenario, if you've done it, you drink!"

Starting the game off was Nathan's new buddy herself. The envy she had felt previous for her had doubled watching them interact at the keg beforehand. The two spoke with such ease and flirtatiousness, Haley had felt the bile crawl up her throat. She had to bite back a comment about Brooke's hand being permanently stuck to Nathan's arm more than once.

"Never have I ever drank water," as everyone groaned, Brooke simply looked delighted. The entire circle swallowed the contents of their cups and refilled. "Hey, just getting the game rolling," Brooke explained, accompanied with her award winning sly grin.

Moving to her right, Lucas continued. "Never have I ever underestimated my ability," he spoke. Haley looked to where his gaze was held and saw Peyton Sawyer downing her drink next to the TV. Getting lost in the past, Haley almost doesn't catch the next situation.

Tim ruining her trip back to memory lane, raised his drink in his hand and shouts. "Never have I ever gotten a tattoo!" Haley began to fidget. Surveying the group around her she watched as Lucas, Brooke and Tim threw the contents of their cups down their throats. Looking at Skillz, she couldn't believe what she was doing. Plucking up her courage, she too brought the plastic rim to her lips.

"HALEY?", Nathan proclaimed, questioning his friend. Laughing at the scene before her, Brooke nudged her to divulge.

"Like a month ago, my sister was back in town. She got the sun and well I-." Breaking off her words, she pulled up her shirt. Showcasing her right rib which adorned a small moon. Following the hoots from the rest of the circle, she realised that she had just lifted her shirt to a majority of strangers and let the fabric fsll back into place over her waist.

A breath of air collided with her neck. Keeping her eyes down at her cup, she felt Nathan's presence so close to her. "You never told me you had a tattoo." Each word he enunciated another sharp cool breeze hit the base of her throat. Stuttering an answer, Haley responded.

"You never asked."

Interrupting the couples moment, Brooke interjected. "Well, well. I guess this welcome game wasn't needed for our closet tutor badass, huh?" Laughing, Haley's previous envy for the girl slipped away in the shadows.

* * *

Watching her dance with Brooke, Nathan Scott knew he couldn't compare her to the weather or to a painting or to whatever other concept he had in mind. She wasn't just one thing. She was his tutor, but his best friend. She was a rule follower but the almost proud owner of a tattoo. One he found extremely appealing to clarify. She was layer upon layer of surprises and intricacies, and diluting her to a 'thing' didn't do her justice. If he was being honest, he was almost certain nothing could do her justice. Perhaps an onion. In his drunken state after a hefty game of Never Have I Ever and the Nathan Scott track record, he had consumed a fair amount of alcohol. Due to this, the only two thoughts running through his mind were, "Haley", and the iconic quote from Shrek One, "Onions have layers." Seeing it fit to bestow such a compliment upon a fine young lady, he called after her.

"Onion!"

A head of honey brown curls whirled around.


End file.
